I think Fate is the Chairdog of the Jon Katz Fan Club at Bedlam Farm. She is the smartest and the boldest, at least inside the house.

I went into the kitchen this morning to make myself a strawberry smoothie, and all of a sudden, the JKFC was sitting in a ring around me, three tails wagging, a look of excitement and expectation coming from all three of them.

My dogs and my donkeys understand my vulnerability. When they look me straight in the eye with that loving, bright look (what dog has ever had more brilliant eyes than Fate?), I bend, then weaken.

Mostly, I stick with my two healthy treats a day rule, one in the morning and once at night. But I can be manipulated; the donkeys figured this out years ago. So did Elvis, my giant cow who stared at me across the driveway while I worked in my office on the first Bedlam Farm.

I am very vulnerable to pleading eyes, especially if they are round, soulful, or dark. Fate has one blue eye, and it is piercing and cuts right through to the heart. Zinnia has those soulful donkey eyes that can touch my very soul, and Bud knows we have a soft spot for him, given his rough life in Arkansas.

Fate sees everything and misses nothing. She knows how to put her head on my knee and look pleadingly into my eyes. I felt like a slick of butter on a pancake. Zinnia has those piercing Lab eyes. Bud gets what Bud wants.

It’s a powerful group, an exclusive club.

So yes the emergency meeting was successful and I reached into the draw and gave everyone a treat, so long as they sat for 30 seconds or so. They did of course.